sterner



(No Model.)

J. o. summa..

HYDRANT.

Patented Feb lhvirrnn Sintes ArnNT OFFICE.

JOHN .O. STERNER, OF SUNBURY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE OADVVALLADER, OF SAME PLACE.

HYDRANT.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 577,461, dated February 23, 1897.

Application iiled l'uly 18, 1896. Serial No. 599,664. (No model.)

Zio all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN O. STERNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at -S unbury, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydrants, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hydrants; and it consists more particularlyin means for supporting the hydrant and frostcasing and in certain details of construction in the valve and means for removing andreplacing the same without disturbing the connections t-o the water-mains.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section in elevation of my improved hydrant. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the support for the frost-casiu g and hydrant. F ig. 3 shows a wrench for disconnecting the valve; and Fig. et is a side View of the Valve, th support being shown in section.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the base or support for the frost-casing,which consists of a bridge-piece 2, supported by legs 3 at the ends, which terminate in flan ges or feet 4, extending outward from vthe legs. This support is adapted to extend over the waterpipe 5, in which position it may be securely held by weights laid upon the feet 4. Plates G, arc-shaped in cross-section, extend upwardly from the ends of the bridge-piece 2 and serve as telescopic guides for the frostcasing 7, the end of which rests upon the bridge piece outside of the guides. The guides and support are preferably cast or formed in one piece. An opening or socket 8, angular, elliptical, or irregular in outline, is formed in the center of the bridge-piece 2.

The valve-casing consists of two parts 9 and 10, which are separately connected by a screw-threaded joint 11, made water-tight by a suitable packing-ring 12. The part 9 consists of a valve-seat 13 and a tubular extension 14, which is screw-threaded upon the lower end and forms a connection to the service-pipe 5. It is also provided with an annular flange 15, adapted to rest upon the bridgepiece 2, and beneath this flange is a part 16, corresponding in outline to and adapted to tit within the socket S in the support 1. In

connecting the part 9 with the service-pipe 5 the pipe where practicable may be raised an inch or so, or the support may be lowered by excavating under the feet 4, so that the part 9 may be turned and screwed into the pipe 5, after which the pipe and bridge-piece are so adjusted that the nut 16 will fit within the socket 8, which will lock it and prevent it from turning, and the ange 15 will rest upon the part 2. The support 9 is then held permanently in place by weights placed upon the feet 4.

The upper part 10 of the valve-casing consists of the cylindrical portion 17, having a bridge 1S, provided with perforations 19, through which the water may pass, and a central screw-threaded opening 20. Thevalverod 2l has a screw-threaded portion 22, engaging the thread in the opening 20. The upper end of the rod has a square shank 23, by which it may be turned by a rod or key 24, extending to the top of the hydrant, while the lower end of the rod terminates in a disk 25.

The valve proper consists of a hollow cylindrical head 26, to the lower closed end of which is attached a disk 27 of suitable packing material. The inner wall of the head is screw-threaded at the top to receive a nut or cap 28,' which extends only part way into the head. In assembling the several parts of the valve the disk 25 is placed in the bottom of the hollow head and the nut or cap 28 is then passed over the rod 21 and screwed down into the head, thus locking the valve-rod to the valve, but allowing suflicient room between the cap and the end of the head to permit the valve-rod and disk 25 to turn Without turning the valve. The valve-rod is then screwed into the bridge-piece 19, as shown, the latter forming a support for the rod and valve, and the upper part 10 of the valvecasing is then secured to the lower part 9.

When the valve-rod is turned by the rod 24, it will readily be seen that the valve will be forced straight onto its seat without turning thereon, thereby saving wear on the packing. A pipe 29 connects with the upper end of the valve-casing and extends nearly to the top of the hydrant, being provided near its up- IOO pcrextremity with the usual spout 30.

The upper end of the pipe is capped with a stuiting-box 3l, through which the rod 24C passes. This stuffing-box, as shown, consists of a plug 32, itting the end ofthe pipe, and a screw-cap 33, iittin g over the upper end of the plug, the cap and plug having a cent-ral bore through which the rod 2t extends and a suitable packing 3l between them.

The frost-casin g 7 is considerably larger in diameter than the valve or water-pipe which it surrounds,leaving a large air-space between them. It consists of a pipe-section 35, which rests upon the support l and is held in position by the guides 6. This section extends upward to or above the ground-line and is surmounted by a smaller section 36, having a flaring base 37, adapted to telescope with the lower section and provided wit-h adjustingscrews 3S. The section 3G is covered by a cap 39, having an opening through the top for the passa-ge of the rod 2l. It also has an elongated opening on the side through which the spout 30 passes, and a slide l sur rounding the spout and adapted to move in vertical guides within the casing, so that any vertical movement of the casing will not affeet the hydrant or its connections.

For the purpose of removing the upper part l0 of the valve from the lower part 9 I have designed a wrench 4t2, Fig. 3, having curved arms 43, adapted to partially encircle the pipe 29, and a fork 4t, which fits over a pin or projection on the valve-casing. To remove the valve, the cap 39 is removed and the forked end of the wrench passed downward along the pipe29, the arms 43 encircling the pipe and guiding the wrench. The forked end engages the projection 45, and by turning the pipe 29 and the wrench simultaneously in the same direction the upper part of the valvecasin g may be u nscrewed from the lower part.

The operation of the hydrant will be evident from the above description. Vhen the valve is raised from its seat, the water passes upward around the valve, through the perforations in the bridge-piece 18, and out through the pipe 24 and spout 30.

The base l supports the frost-casing and the hydrant independently of each other and locks the lower part of the valve-casing to the service-pipe, and the feet 4, being weighted, the whole structure possesses great stability.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a hydrant, the combination with the service-pipe, the frost-casing and the valveeasing, of a separate base or support consisting of a bridge-piece adapted to extend over the service-pipe, said bridge-piece having an opening or socket at its center to receive the valve-casing, guides to hold the frost-casing in position, and depending legs, provided with outwardly-extendin g feet, at each end, substantially as described.

2. In a hydrant, the combination with the frost-Casin g, the valve-casing and the servicepipe, of a base or support extending over the service-pipe and having an opening or socket engaging the lower part of the valve-Casin g to prevent it from turning, and upwardly-extending guides at its ends iittin g within the frostcasing to hold it in position, substantially as described.

3. In a hydrant, the combination with a base or support having legs and a bridgepiece adapted to extend over the service-pipe and provided with a central angular opening or socket, of a valve-casing formed in two or more parts, one of the parts extendil'lg through the opening in the bridge-piece and forming the connection to the service-pipe, said part having an angular section engaging the socket, and a iiange adapted to rest upon said bridge-piece, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN O. STERNER.

\Vitnesses:

Snc. ZIMMERMAN, Gnonc'n BEM-1D. 

